Education Study Update October 22, 2014 About the League The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan political organization encouraging informed and active participation in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy. LWVLA Education Study Goals Public education is a special-interest government entity funded by tax dollars. Like other government operations, it requires community involvement in order to best serve the public. This study seeks to: ● Encourage informed and active participation from the Los Alamos community in significant K-12 public education issues; ● Encourage a strong partnership between the elected School Board and members of the community; ● Encourage increased awareness and understanding of major issues facing K-12 education in Los Alamos. Study’s Guiding Principles ● Focus on communication of high level issues -- this is not about classroomlevel or day-to-day information but rather district-wide issues ● Focus on communication of information that citizens need in order to actively participate in high level decisions, in particular the district’s Strategic Plan, Budget and other financial information ● Evaluate the effectiveness of communication delivery: -- Is it easy to find and convenient for the public? -- Is it presented in a format that the general public can understand? Study Process ● Learn how School Boards communicate with their constituents ● Research School Boards across the country ● Identify best practices ● Share information with interested groups in Los Alamos like the Los Alamos School Board ● Develop position through League consensus process Study Members Ashley Mamula Barbara Calef Lynn Jones Rebecca Shankland Karyl Ann Armbruster Naishing Key Jody Benson Katie Bridgewater Mary Van Eeckhout Ed Birnbaum Julie Williams-Hill Susan O’Leary Role of the School Board Center for Public Education Defines the role of the School Board as: ● “First and foremost, School Boards look out for students ... ● When making decisions about school programs, school boards incorporate their community’s view of what students should know and be able to do. ● School Boards are accessible to the public and accountable for the performance of their schools. ● School Boards are the education watchdogs for their community, ensuring that students get the best education for the tax dollars spent.” School Boards in New Mexico ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Ensure consistency in local policies with NM PED rules Create & implement student code of conduct Define boundaries for enrollment Hire Superintendent Review & Approve School Budget Acquire, lease, & dispose of property Have the capacity to sue or be sued Issue general obligation bonds of school district Oversee property management of all facilities belonging to school district Our Focus Tonight ● Review the goals and objectives of the Education Study ● Share examples of our research that illustrate best practices in communication between School Boards and the public ● Share high level learnings from the research ● Talk about next steps Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 Colorado Springs, CO www.cmsd12.org CMSD12 Similar in Size to LAPS ● ● ● ● ● ● Total Enrollment 4600 (LAPS 3543) Preschool Charter School 5 Elementary Schools Junior High High School Highlights ● Comprehensive Long Range Plan/ Strategic Plan ● Financial Transparency ● Ease of Website Comprehensive Long Range Plan The design and development of the Comprehensive Long Range Plan was led by the CMSD Board of Education in order to “help guide future governance, practice, and decision making in the district.” (CMSD12) What drove the need to develop a strategic plan? ● Preparing graduates to succeed in the workforce and higher education. ● Supporting a safe and healthy learning environment. ● Maintaining high levels of achievement and growth on external measures of accountability. ● Adapting to an ever-changing future. ● Realizing the vision of being “a district of excellent schools and establishing an excellent school district”. Financial Transparency ● Leader in school district financial management. ● Maintains the highest possible credit rating (Aa1) for any public entity in Colorado. Ease of Website ● How is important information made available? ● Is the website user friendly? ● How are the efforts and accomplishments of the district showcased? Pender County School District Pender County, North Carolina www.pendercountyschools.net Similar in Funding to LAPS ● ● ● ● NC & NM have similar per pupil funding Larger school district in terms of # of schools Rural community with pocket of affluence Schools qualify for Title 1 Highlights ● Strategic Plans -- 5 year Strategic Plan -- Facilities Plan -- Improvement Plans by School ● Budget is available in PDF ● Board Resolutions ● Board Policies Albuquerque Public Schools Albuquerque, New Mexico www.aps.edu Highlights ● ● ● ● Strategic Plan with Action Items Budget and other financial information School Board meetings televised live Weekly emails Local Example of Excellent Outreach High Level Learnings ● Senior leadership drives communication strategy ● Website approach is cost effective and convenient ● Communication has to be timely to ensure that community feedback is incorporated into decisions ● Information has to be presented in format that average citizen can understand ● Most important thing about website is that it contain the right information -- not that it be fancy Next Steps ● League will develop a position through consensus process ● Public presentation of League study and position in late winter, 2015 Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 www.cmsd12.org Pender County Schools www.pendercountyschools.net Albuquerque Public Schools www.aps.edu Los Alamos Public Schools www.laschools.net Also: Champion Local Schools- Ohio www.championlocal.org Mequon Thiensville School District- Wisconsin www.mtsd.k12.wi.us